


Misadventures in Parenthood

by Froggy1988



Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Parenthood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-05
Updated: 2020-09-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:59:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 8,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25726279
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Froggy1988/pseuds/Froggy1988
Summary: A collection of one-shots about the tangled crew and their children. Rapunzel X Eugene, Varian X Cassandra.Chapters 10-12 : Flynn - When Cassandra goes into labour, with Varian and Rapunzel both stuck in a snowstorm it's up to Eugene to guide her through the birth.Chapter 9- Pregnant - When Cassandra tells Varian she's pregnant she's surprised by his reaction.Chapter 8 - Instincts - Cassandra isn't happy when she discovers she's pregnant, Rapunzel tries to comfort her.Chapter 7- Panic - Cassandra returns home to find her son covered in an unknown powder.Chapter 6 - What? - Lance realizes he has to be careful what he says around little Flynn.Chapter 5 - Like Parent Like Child - Lance and Catalina are trying to figure out if baby Flynn takes most after Varian or Cassandra.Chapter 4 - Feelings - Rapunzel has mixed feelings about her son's first steps.Chapter 3 - Supperstitions - A pregnant Cass find out that Corona has a lot of superstitions.Chapter 2 - Eugene discovers that thieving and parenting have transferrable skills.Chapter 1 - Bathtime - Cassandra tries to take a moment to relax whilst Varian baths their son.
Relationships: Cassandra/Varian (Disney: Tangled), Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider/Rapunzel
Comments: 40
Kudos: 89





	1. Chapter 1

Cassandra gave a happy sigh as she sat down in a comfy armchair and opened up her book to take advantage of the last of the days light coming through the cottage window. Finally, a moment alone.

She tried to concentrate on the book, but the noises coming from the kitchen were distracting. The giggling and splashes warmed her heart, she loved when Varian and Flynn played. The relationship between them was beautiful. But, the giggling soon descended into chaos.

"Sit down!" She heard Varian use his strict tone. "You sit down in the tub, so you don't slip."

She turned back to her book, this was not her job, this was her time to herself.

There was a loud scream.

"I know you don't like it, but your hair has mud in it buddy."

There was more splashing and screaming.

"Whoa! Wait, stay there! Cassie can I get some help?"

Cassandra turned the page in her book.

"Nope, you need to learn to do this on your own."

There was a loud splash, and a clatter and Cassandra almost put her book down...almost.

She heard Varian loudly spluttering and swearing.

Cassandra looked up as her naked one year old son ran passed her, his arms raised up in the air, a delighted smile on his face.

"Dada Baba ahhh!"

Varian appeared in the doorway, dripping wet, holding his arms out the side and shooting her an accusing look.

"So... How was bath time?"

"Our son does not like having his hair washed."

"I know, that's why it was your turn tonight."

"You're an evil woman Cassandra."

Cassandra put her book down with a sigh.G she wasn't going to get a rest yet.

"I guess I'll get him dressed, so you can get dry."

Varian sneezed as he grabbed a towel.


	2. Chapter 2

Okay, Eugene thought to himself. You can do this you are the legendary Flynn Ryder, sneaking around is your speciality.

He dropped to the floor, keeping out of the thin ray if light that was coming from the door. He pushed his toes across the floor inching forwards, his hands pulling himself along the carpet. He winced as the fabric of his shirt got pulled up by the movement - carpet burn - ouch - the life of a master theif was full of dangers. 

He finally made it to the door. He jumped up, flattening his body against the wall.

There was a movement behind him. He froze, fear running through his vains. Just don't make eye contact. If you don't make eye contact, she'll go back too sleep.

After some long quiet minutes he thought he was free, he pulled the door open, it gave a large squek. He turned, her eyes flicked open. Don't make eye contact...don't... green eyes landed on his. 

"WHAAAAA!"

The door flung open.

"Eugene, you woke the baby! I told you to put her to bed gently."

"I tried, she was asleep... I..." Eugene gave up with a sigh. He put his hand on his exhausted wife's shoulder. "It's alright, go back to bed. I've got this one."


	3. Supperstitions

So… I’ve been rewriting the series songs again – sorry.

Just in case you don’t know – Hangry is when your angry because you’re hungry.

***

Cassandra sighed as she walked through the cottage looking for Varian. It had been a tough day, in fact, since her pregnancy had become obvious to everybody and not just to their close friends, every day had been a tough day. It seemed like everybody had an opinion on how she should behave now she was carrying, what she should call the baby, or if it was a boy or girl. Today had been tougher than most.

It had all started at lunch, Cassandra hadn’t been invited to join Rapunzel and the Queen, but when Rapunzel had seen her in the castle courtyard she had dragged her along to eat with them. The problem was having not expecting her the Queen had put on a rather exotic lunch, showcasing some of the spices they’d recently had imported. Cassandra had tried to find something to eat amongst the mixture of dishes but every time her fork went near to one of them the Queen has stopped her.

“Oh no! Cassandra dear, don’t eat that, spicy food will burn the baby’s eyes, and make it come early.”

Cassandra had heeded the Queens warnings and had graciously lunched on a bread roll pretending that she wasn’t actually that hungry.

Finally able to take her leave to find something more sustaining she had made her way to the kitchens. There on the table was a chicken that had been roasted and left to cool. She was sure nobody would mind if she just helped herself to a leg.

“Oh, Miss, no.” A young kitchen maid came running up to her. “You can’t eat chicken or rabbit on a Wednesday, your child will be born with a hoarse voice.”  
  


“That seems very specific.” Cassandra muttered under her breath. She was getting tired, she got tired a lot these days, it was all the extra weight she was carrying around, plus being woken up multiple times a night by the baby kicking her in the bladder. She decided just to help herself to a cup of coffee. This time it was the old chef who stopped her.

“Cassandra, come on, you should know better than that. If you drink coffee your baby will be born with both male and female parts.”  
  


She left, hungry and aggravated, perhaps she could find something to eat in the town square. As she walked down the hot streets she started to smell something delicious coming from Uncle Monty’s sweets shop, she ducked her head in to see Attila putting a fresh batch of cupcakes on the side.

“Hmm… those smell delicious, one please.” She handed over her money as Attila passed her a cupcake.

“Sweet tooth? You must be having a girl. They say girls steal a mother’s beauty.”  
  


“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Uh… nothing.”  
  


Finally, Cassandra thought as she walked out the door lifting the cupcake to take a bite. Only to drop it as somebody grabbed her a pulled her out the way.

“What the?”  
  


“Watch out Miss.” The young man who had grabbed her said.

Cassandra looked around trying to see what the danger was, but apart from a few people mulling around the shops all she could see was a white cat walking passed her.

“Cat’s will steal a baby’s breath Miss.”  
  


It took every last ounce of self-control she had to smile politely at him. Her dropped cupcake was splattered against the floor, and she had not brought enough money out with her to get another one. She decided to head home, there were cupboards full of food back at home. As it was a hot day she decided it best to walk down by the harbour and take advantage of the sea breeze.

“Watch out Miss!”

Cassandra stopped and looked around; the shout had come from a man on a fishing boat. The shout had stopped her midstep, about to step over some ropes that had been left at the side of the jetty.

“Don’t step over ropes Miss, it’ll make the babies cord wrap round his neck.”

Cassandra side stepped and continued with her journey. Now she was at home, hungry and fed-up, but she wanted to check on Varian and make sure that he didn’t want her to make him some lunch as well. She walked out the back of their house to the old barn which Varian used as a lab. He was nowhere to be seen, but as she looked around she saw a sandwich lying on one of his shelves. Hungrily she grabbed it.

“Cassandra! Wait! Don’t eat that.” Varian shouted from behind her, rushing into the barn.

Cassandra finally lost her cool and reached for her knife, holding it out at chest level.

Varian jumped back holding his hands up.

“Don't you dare! I will eat what I want to eat!”

“Cassandra you’re hangry, I get it

Believe me I know what it’s like

But you’re making a mistake

That sandwich you choose has been there all week

It was good at first

But now the meats started to reek

With each passing bite your stomachs further away from alright

Suddenly you lose the meat, you lose the bread,

Lose your snacks then lose your lunch

Every lose misses the loos

Then you’ll see you’ll lose your dinner

Last night sole

Till you lose complete control

And realise there’s nothing left to lose

Nothing left to lose.”

Cassandra dropped the sandwich and her knife on the floor and started to cry.

“What's wrong with me? I'm just so tired and so hungry and our kids going to be born with burnt eyes and no voice, and a hermaphrodite!”

Varian, used to her pregnant mood swings, stepped over and hugged her.

“Shush, it’s alright. None of that’s going to happen, and you can have all the ham sandwiches you want, I promise. If that's what you want then no pig in the seven kingdoms is safe.”

She sniffled and wiped her nose on her sleeve.

“Varian, I think I need a lie down.”

He nodded and kissed her on the forehead.

“You go to bed Cassie. I'll bring you up some lunch.”


	4. Feelings

Eugene gave a tired stretch as he walked into the bedroom.  
“He’s finally out, man that kid did not want to go to sleep tonight.”  
He continued talking as he sat on the bed and started to get undressed. Unawares that his wife who was curled up next to him was silently crying.  
“I can’t believe how well he did on our walk today, he walked so far. I can’t believe he’s only been on his feet for a few weeks.”

The large sniff next to him made him turn and put his hand on Rapunzel’s shoulder.  
“What’s wrong?”

“It’s just, it’s gone so fast.”

“What has?”

“He’s not a baby anymore.”   
“Oh, sunshine.”  
“I just, I know I shouldn’t cry. I just get so overwhelmed by it all you know. I didn’t know that these emotions could be so big, and so complicated.”

“What emotions love?”

“Being a parent. He learns something new every day, and with each new skill he gains more independence and I am so proud of him, and it's so joyful to watch. Yet at the same time each step towards independence is a step away from me, and it’s like I mourn the perfect little new-born he was. I was his entire world, his comfort, his food, we weren’t even separate beings you know? He needed me to survive, and everything my body did was to take care of him. I’ve already forgotten what it was like when he was growing inside of me. I’ve already started to forget how small, and yet just how strong he was in those first few days, what he smelled like, what his breathing sounded like when he was sleeping. I just can’t hold onto it no matter how hard I try. We, cannot hold onto these days forever, can we?”

“No, we can only try and hold onto each other. It's going to be a long time until he stops needing us completely you know.”  
She snuggled in close to him.

“I know. I just miss the tininess of him, the sweetness, how he was completely unaware of the world around him. “

“Well... We could make another one. “

“Oh.” She smiled and rested her hand across his cheek. Then she kissed him, a serious and deep kind of kiss, and he could do nothing but respond despite the wetness of her cheeks against his.

"I didn't actually mean now." He said breathlessly as she pulled away.

"Oh, is there any reason to wait?”

“No, nope, none that I can think off.”


	5. Like Parent Like Child

Like parent like child.

“Oh you are just so cute.” Catalina said as she wrapped her arms around baby Flynn.

“Who do you think he takes after Dad? I think it’s Varian, because of the eyes and the streak.”  
  


“Hmm.. it’s hard to tell, he has his mothers colouring, there’s definitely something about you around the lower face.” Lance said looking at Cassandra who was contentedly drinking her tea. The five of them, Catalina, Lance, Cassandra, Varian and baby Flynn, had met outside a café in town. Cassandra and Varian had the devious plan of getting Catalina to be a babysitter by dressing Flynn up in his most adorable set of dungarees, and making him out to be as angelic as they could.

“He’s such an easy baby.” Cassandra said.

“Except that he’s a fast crawler, I mean yesterday I put him down and within a minute he was...UFF!” Varian gasped as he was elbowed by Cassandra in the ribs.

“Still sat at my feet because he is so well behaved.” Varian said.

They were really keen on getting Catalina to be their babysitter, they were really in need of a date night. Cassandra didn’t understand how on earth people managed to make second and third babies when it was impossible to get a single moment alone together.

Lance and Catalina were looking confused but luckily they were distracted in that moment as Flynn reached up to pat Catalina’s face babbling cutely.

“Oh, is he going to say his first word!” Lance squealed excitedly.

“Oh I think he’s about to.” Cassandra answered. “He’s been babbling so much for weeks now, and I’m sure he’s going to say something soon.”

“Ah, are you trying to say Mama!” Catalina asked the eight-month-old holding him up.

“Mababada.”

“Pretty sure it sounds like Dada.” Varian said.

Cassandra rolled her eyes.

“MaDa.”

“Okay it could be both.” Said Lance.

“Madar.”

They all leaned in closer, excited that they might hear the babies first word.

“Which is it, Mama or Dada?” Varian asked their son.

“Murder!”

Everybody backed away in shock.

"Did he just say...” Cassandra asked looking around the table.

"Congratulations, he takes after the both of you." Lance said.

***

So, all these ficlets are based upon my personal parenting experience- yep, my son's babbling sounded like he was crawling around saying ” Murder! Dead!Dead!Dead!” Obviously he was just stringing together random sounds and accidentally hitting on real words, I don’t think he’ s a psychopath…


	6. What?

"Okay little man. Now you are decked out in a way fitting the name Flynn."

The hat Lance had placed on the three year olds head dropped over his eyes. Giggling the little boy ran around blindly with his hands stretched out until he tripped over his own feet and fell to the ground.

"That's not good." Lance said rushing over and picking up the unconcerned child.

" I gotta keep a closer eye on you, your momma's always telling me 'I took mine months to make him, so if you break him, I take nine months to break you."

The little boy smiled up at him.

"Now what do you say to ice-cream?"

"Yay!" He placed his warm little hand in the big man's and walked besides him.

"Our little secret hey, but we've gotta do something to fill the time. We've got two hours to kill before your parents get back."

"Okay Uncle Lance, who we gonna kill?"


	7. Panic!

Flynn ran to meet Cassandra as she walked into the cottage. She put her hand on his head as she walked past.

“Just let Mummy put the shopping away, I got you something nice from the bakery.”

She froze in fear as she entered their little kitchen, there were empty glass bottles and vials on the floor. She turned and dropped to the floor, grabbing the toddler clinging to her leg and looking closely at him. Her heart dropped into her stomach as she saw a brown powered around his mouth.

“Oh god! What do I do? VARIAN! VARIAN!” She looked around not knowing where her husband was. What had happened? He was supposed to be watching Flynn. She gathered the toddler up and grabbed a mug from the sink, pouring a glass of water, and putting it to her son’s mouth.

“Drink, please baby, drink.”  
  


Maybe she should make him throw up, maybe whatever the chemical was it hadn’t made its way into his system yet.

“Hey, what’s going on?” Varian was sprinting down the stairs, pulling up his trousers as he did so.

“WHERE WERE YOU!” Cassandra snapped.

“Just in the bathroom, what…”

“Your chemicals. He’s eaten your chemicals.”  
  


“WHAT?” Varian ran towards them pausing to look at the floor a look of relief washing across his face.

“Cassie, Cassie, stop.” He said gently taking the water that she was trying to force into the now crying toddler's mouth off her. “It’s just spices.”  
  


“What?” Cassandra said, her chest hurting from how fast her heart was beating.

“I let him play with the spice box.”  
  


“Not chemicals?” Cassandra said looking down at her son.  
  


“No. Those aren’t my chemicals. You know I wouldn't leave anything dangerous around. Nothing like that ever comes into the house.”

Cassandra sobbed in relief and wrapped her arms around her son pulling him close.

“I’m sorry, you’re alright. You’re alright. Mummy is sorry, she was just scared.” Flynn stopped crying and pulled away.

“Moma.” He said looking at her and reaching for the tears that were now falling from her eyes.

“Sorry, Cassie. I’m sorry that it scared you. I won’t do it again.” Varian bent down to pick up the glass bottles. “Wait…” He looked around confused.

“What is it?”  
  


“The cumin bottle, it’s empty. It’s not on the floor either.” He bent down and looked closely in his face. “I didn’t know he could get the lids off. Did you eat the cumin?”  
  


“Ah!” Flynn said pointing to the bottle.

“You ate it, buddy? Why?”  
  


“Yummy!”

“Will it do him any harm?”  
  


“I doubt it.”  
  


Cassandra let go of her son and sat down, relieved but still feeling the tension in the limbs and her heart hammering against her chest.

Little Flynn was alright - but he did smell like cumin for a week afterward.

***

Yep- let my son play with the spice pots whilst I was cooking, and he ate an entire bottle of cumin- at this point this fic is just becoming a place for me to admit my parenting fails.


	8. Instincts

“I can't do this.”

“Are you sure?”

“It’s been almost three months.”

Rapunzel put her hand on her crying friend's shoulder.

“I’ve been feeling sick and my, my chest hurts. “ Cass put a hand to her breast showing what she meant. Like a hornet's nest.”

“I’d say that means you’re pregnant.” Rapunzel agreed.

“I just can’t do this.”

“Of course you can,” Rapunzel said with a bright smile, it wasn’t any doubt in her friend that was making her smile fake, she knew that Cassandra would be a good mother, she also knew that things could be complicated.

“No, Raps, I can't I have zero, I mean zero mothering instincts. Remember when you got me to look after the twins? It was a disaster.” Rapunzel tried not to flinch at the memory, tried, and failed. “i can't be responsible for a baby, I just can't. I don't even find them cute, they're all so wrinkly and weird looking and there's that thing where you have to hold their heads because their necks are so floppy, I'll forget that, I'll break it.”

“They're stronger than they look.”

“What am I going to do? I’m going to ruin this kid’s life?”  
  


“No, you’re not.”  
  


“It’s nature, my own mother abandoned me. There were no natural instincts in her and there are no natural instincts in me.”  
  


“You’re nothing like her Cass.”

“But I am.”

“I was raised by her, Cass, I know you’re not like her, and I’m a mother despite the fact that I didn’t have loving caring parents until I was eighteen.”  
  


“But you have the whole, natural instincts thing. That’s missing in me.”

Rapunzel sighed and looked down at her hands. Natural instincts, as if parenting had just come naturally to her the moment the twins were born. As if it hadn’t been hadrd work and she hadn’t spent night awake looking at them and filled with self-doubt. Rapunzel was sued to hiding her own feelings, showing a happy face to the world, but a happy face wasn’t going to help her friend right now, honesty might.

“I never told this to anybody but there was this time when the twins were about five weeks old, and I can just remember getting up, for the fourth time in the night to feed one of them. I was exhausted in a way I've never felt before, and I looked down at her, and I just thought, you don't even know I'm your mother, I do everything for you and you don't even smile at me. It had only been five weeks but it felt like I’d been stuck in this loop of feeding and bathing and no sleep forever. My breasts hurt, and my tailbone still hurt, and I was always hungry, and I just wanted to run away.”

Cassandra was starting at her open mothed, in shock.

“But you’re a good mother.”

“I know, I am a good mother, and the thought really scared me, but it woke me up to how much I was struggling. I think that not leaving, that getting up every day and doing your best to look after your babies, and trying to be the best person you can be for them, that’s what makes me a good mum, because at the end of the day - it's hard, it's not glamorous, and the days all run into one. But you keep going because you love them more than you ever thought you could love anything. It is all you can ever do, try your best, every day, even when some days your best is nowhere near what you’d want it to be.”

Rapunzel took her friend by the shoulders.

“And the Cass I know, she never gives up, she puts her all into everything.”

“I had no idea.”

“I know that I could have had nannies and a whole line of help, but I thought that If I let somebody else help me then I was some kind of failure as a mother. I thought that I was their mum so I had to do it all. It took me a long time to understand that taking the time to take care of myself made me a more rested and happy parent for them. It’s so important to accept help. You’re going to have so much help Cassandra, you have Varian, you have us, you have your Dad, and the motherly instincts, they’ll come eventually. “

“Will they?”

“Yes, because they’re not instincts. They’re skills.”

She hugged her again.

“You need to tell Varian. You’ve hung onto this for too long.”

“Yeah…”  
  


“He’ll be pleased.”  
  


Cassandra sighed, looking away. “Maybe.”  
  


“Cass, he will.”

***

A woman randomly asked me in a shop today if I had maternal instincts before my son was born, I kinda snorted and said ‘I don’t have maternal instincts now’, but then I told her that for some people it doesn’t come right away, that having a child is such a big upheaval that it’s natural to just feel lost for a while, a long while, because it will always come eventually – if you don’t have the instinct then you develop it like a skill instead. – So yeah, that was my inspiration.


	9. Telling Varian

Cassandra walked into the barn laboratory, her nose wrinkling at the foul sulphuric scent in the air. Varian was stood at the big table that was covered with burn marks. He looked up at her pulling his goggles off and giving her a wide smile, that faltered when he saw her apprehensive expression. 

She felt as if there was a heavy stone in the bottom of her stomach, she started to feel slightly breathless with the nerves. She had to do this, she had held onto the knowledge herself for too long, at first thinking she was mistaken and then just filled with various anxieties. Now she had to tell him. 

"Varian, I'm pregnant."

Varian's eyebrows crinkled slightly. "Okay. Hey," he picked up the two jars on his table "do you want to see something awesome, I think I've made a glow in the dark paint. I thought it would be useful for marking out exit routes in tunnels, you know, in case your lantern goes out you can still find your way."

Cassandra stared at him in shock. She had actually told him she was pregnant right? And, he was talking about work? That was not the reaction she had expected.

"Varian we have accidentally created a small person who isliving inside of me stealing all my energy and making me puke! And that's not the scary part! The scary part is that he's one day going to come out! To wreck chaos and destruction upon our lives. "

"Yeah, was I not supposed to know... It was kinda obvious."

"Then why didn't you say anything?"

He shrugged. "I'm glad you finally told me though."

"You're glad I told you?" She said exasperated, he had known, how long had he known? Why had he not said anything? What was he feeling? So many questions were running through her mind.

"Well, what do you think about it?"

"Well, it was going to happen at some point wasn't it. " Varian said slowly. "We got married, we share a bed, we don't sleep much in it, I mean, it's obvious it was going to happen."

"Not to me."

He raised a sassy eyebrow at her, giving her a pointed frown.

He was right, they had got married, they had briefly discussed starting a family before they had got married. She just hadn't expected it to happen so quickly.

"Okay, maybe it should have been. Maybe it was. But now that it's real..." 

She hesitated, she didn't know how to put into words all the thoughts that had been running around her head since she'd discovered she was pregnant. All the doubts she had. 

"I'm scared Varian."

His eyes widen, he pulled her into a firm hug. 

  
"I'd never let anything had happen to you Cassie, either of you. Everything is going to be alright."


	10. Flynn Part 1

I know I don’t usually split these ones into different parts but this is a fair bit longer than most so I’m going to write it in two or three parts.

Flynn Part 1

Eugene sighed as he walked down the corridor, every time he passed a window he could see the snow flurries falling to the ground. He hated snow, really hated it, the twins on the other hand loved it. Their grandparents had taken them out to play and get hot cocoa in the town, Eugene half wished he had gone with them, but the twins shared a special relationship with Arianna and Fredrick, and he knew that when he wasn’t around the King and Queen spoilt them rotten.

He paused as he passed the library, Cassandra was silhouetted in the window. From the back he could only tell it was her from her favourite green dress and long black hair, you couldn’t even tell she was heavily pregnant from the back.

“Are you alright Cass?” Eugene said stepping forwards. She turned to look at him.

“Varian and Rapunzel aren’t back yet.” She said worriedly.

Eugene nodded, Rapunzel and Varian had gone to Equus on state business. Nobody had expected the snowstorm, and it was putting them all on edge, reminding them all of a previous storm. He put his hand on her shoulder, trying to offer her some reassurance.

“They’ll be Ok.”

Cassandra lowered her head, looking down at her swollen belly.

“I’m just worried, what with the baby so close.”  
  


“You have a few weeks before you have to worry about him staying close to home.” Eugene answered.

She hummed none committedly, her hand on her stomach as she stared out of the window.

***

“Goodness, that storm is getting worse.” King Fredrick said looking out of the window.

Eugene looked up from his place in front of the fire where he was making towns out of blocks with the twins. He got up and went over to his father-in-law. He gave a sigh as he saw the snow mounting in piles up against the walls of the garden below.

“It is normal this time, isn’t it?” Fredrick asked him quietly.

“I can’t think of any reason why it wouldn’t be.” Eugene said. “Everything has been all quiet on the magical fronts for years now.”

The King nodded. “I can’t help but worry, has there been any word at all from Rapunzel?”

Eugene shook his head.

“No, but then it’s not as if a messenger would get through this easily.”

“Hmm… I hope they’re okay.”

“So do I. Keep an eye on the children, I want to go and check on Cass.” Eugene said looking down at his happily playing four-year olds.

“Cassandra?”

“She seemed a bit off when I saw her a few hours ago, I want to check she’s okay.”

The King nodded and went to take the place that Eugene had previously occupied on the floor, picking up a small wooden tree and holding It up to the light. “Shall we plant apples or pears in the third orchard?” He asked happily.

Eugene found Cassandra in exactly the same spot that he had last seen her. That in itself worried him, but as he got closer to her something about her stony silence and stillness let him know something was wrong.

“Hey, Cass.”

She nodded at him her eyes never leaving the spot she was staring at through the window, Eugene could swear she was looking directly at the castle gates, as if waiting for Varian and Rapunzel to ride through them.

“I know you’re worried, but you know how resourceful those two are, they’re going to have found a safe place to ride out the storm, that’s if they even left Equus before the storm started.”

“I just wish they were back.” She said quietly, still seeming distracted.

“Well, as long as they’re safe.”  
  


She gave a sharp intake of breath, she bent forwards slightly, one hand reaching for her stomach and the other clenching at the fabric of the curtains. Her face grimaced and her eyes squeezed shut.

“Cass? What’s…. “ Eugene’s eyes widened as he realized why Cassandra seemed so distracted. “Oh, oh, I see.”

She was looking up at him now, her body visibly relaxing as the pain eased off.

“Cassandra, I think you're having the baby now.”

“No, no I'm not,” she said her eyes wide “because I'm not ready, and Varian isn't here. Varian was supposed to be here.”

Eugene understood, he really did, he’d been through it with Rapunzel, she’d read every book, talked to every midwife or new mother she could find, still she was not fully ready for the powerful surges that came before birth.

“I know.” Eugene said, laying his hand on her arm. “But that baby, he's decided he's coming, and I doubt arguing with him will work.”

“I'll cross my legs.”  
  


Eugene gave a short laugh; he couldn’t help it. Cassandra shot him an annoyed look.

“Yeah, that's not gonna work. I'm going to send somebody for the midwife.”

“There's no point, I'm not having a baby today.” She growled through gritted teeth.

“Jeez, you are so stubborn! Stan, Pete! Are you around?”

“Don't you dare!” Cassandra said before bending forwards again and grasping the curtains with both hands, she gave a long grunt. Eugene ran out to the corridor just as Stan was running forwards to find him.

“Stan, go fetch the midwife.”

Stan shot a shocked look over at Cassandra, who managed to shoot him an annoyed look over her shoulder as she panted.

“Yes sir.” Stan said setting off at a run.

Eugene took Cassandra’s arm as she tried to straighten up.

“Let's get you somewhere a bit more private.”

“I'm not having a baby.”

“You could have fooled me, come on.”

Begrudgingly she followed him through the corridor. As they walked towards one of the spare room Eugene noted the startled looks of the maids, who flung themselves flat against the walls when they saw Cassandra’s death glares.

“Get out the way, scary pregnant lady coming through.”


	11. Flynn Chapter 2

Eugene wasn’t entirely sure what he ought to do. He took another look towards the midwife who was sat in the corner of the room knitting. He met her eye, nodding over at where Cassandra was pacing back and forth.

“This part is just about the waiting, and trying to create a safe space.” The midwife answered barely looking up.

“I know, I remember. “ Eugene said with a sigh, he’d forgotten how inactive the midwife had been in those hours before the twins had been born, she’d called it ‘creating a restful space’, Eugene in his panic of feeling useless whilst his wife was in pain had called it being lazy. As it turned out, when the time really came for the twins to be born the midwife had sprung into action, a note of authority in her voice as she bossed everybody in the castle around (including the king), and with a calm, and reassuring manner had helped Rapunzel through the birth. She’d also presented them with a nice pair of knitted hats.

“I suspect we’ve got a few hours to go yet, perhaps try to distract her. Try to calm her down, hold her hand when the pains come.”

“Hey, Cass.” Eugene said nervously walking up to the pacing woman, eying her as if she was a caged tiger.

“I think the storm is easing off a little. “She said turning to look out the window.

He took her by the shoulders getting her to face him.

“Hey, Cass, I think we may have to think about what we do if they don’t make it back in time.”

She shook him off her.

“No, we had a plan, it was going to be me, and Varian, and Rapunzel. That was the plan.”

“Well, we’ll have to have a new plan. A me and you plan.”

Cassandra shot him an annoyed look.

“You? Really?”

“Yeah, Cassandra and Eugene, in this together. We’ll even come up with a name. Team baby making?”

She shot him an annoyed look.

“No okay, you’re right, Varian did the making part. Team baby birthing! Yes that is brilliant the BB’S.”

“ARGHHH!” Cassandra gave a large groan.  
  


“Okay, team shut up before I punch you in your perfectly chiselled face?”

“I like that one.” She said between grunts.

“How about a name compounding thing? Team Eugendra? Team Cassene?”

She reached a hand out, wild eyed, and without thinking about it Eugene took it. She squeezed it hard as she panted.

“OWW! OW! OW! OWWW! Easy on the fingers.”

Eugene almost tripped over as Cassandra let go of his hand and pulled on his shirt collar till his face was only inches from hers.

“Shut up before I shut you up.” She growled.

Eugene felt the midwifes calm presence beside him, she was prising Cassandra’s fingers away from him with a happy hum. “This is a good sign, women often go through a period of unreasonableness or confusion just before their body gets ready to push, it’s called transition.”

“Nope, she’s always like this.” Eugene gasped rubbing at his throat.

“Come on dear, let’s find you a comfortable position on the bed.” The midwife said leading her away.

“I’m not doing this. “Cassandra said. “I want to go find Varian.”  
  


“Oh, it’s quite alright dear, I’ve heard it all before. You’d be surprised how many of my girls have decided it’s not the day to have a baby right in the middle of having one. Surprisingly, none of them have won that argument with nature yet.”  
  


“I want Varian.” Cassandra sobbed.

“Oh, I know dear, but maybe it’s best he’s not here hey? I heard he’s a fainter. Now, do you want to lay down? Or maybe get onto all fours, just do whatever feel best for you right now dear.”  
  


“No.” She grunted.

“Now, now, come on my dear. What’s going on? You need to stop fighting your body, you’re making this harder on yourself. What’s happening is natural, and it's going to happen in the way it's going to happen, you just have to let it.”

“No.” Cassandra grunted again as she curled up on the bed.

“Right.” The midwife said thoughtfully looking between Cassandra and Eugene. “I'm going to go get a drink does anybody want anything?”

“Whiskey.” Cassandra answered.

“Afraid not my dear.”

“Can I have a whiskey?” Eugene asked.

“When the baby is born.” The midwife said heading for the door. Eugene suddenly realised that she intended on leaving him alone with a very much about to have a baby, sometimes homicidal woman.

“Wait! Wait, you’re leaving me with her?” He said in a loud whisper as he rushed to the door to try and stop her.

“Yes.”

“But...”

“She's getting distressed, it's not good. It might get the baby distressed and cause problems.”

“Even more of a reason not to leave me alone with her.”

“She needs to talk, and I don't think she will with me around.”

“Talk?”

“Something is holding her back.”

“Yeah, she wants Varian. I am not Varian, so I don’t know how I’m supposed to help.”

“There’s more to it than that.”

“Well what am I supposed to do?”

“Listen to her.”

“Listen? Look lady, Cassandra is not the opening up type.”

“You're her friend aren’t you?”

“Well it's complicated she kinda hates me, but I suppose you could call us friends, in a she hasn’t actually killed me yet kind of a way.”

“Then figure out what she needs. I'll be back in ten minutes. The baby won’t be born in ten minutes. Probably.”

“No.. no please, AHH!” Eugene watched the door closing with the midwife on the other side and took a deep breath. Make Cassandra open up, so she’d stop fighting and start pushing. This might just be the biggest challenge he’d ever faced.

“Okay, I've got this.”


	12. Flynn Part 3

“Cassandra?” Eugene said sitting on the bed next to her and reaching over to touch her shoulder.

“How are you doing?”  
  


She let out a long whining groan.

“Oh yeah, the horrifying pain, got it.” Eugene said. He looked down at her and tried to remember back to what had helped Rapunzel, he remembered a lot of humming, and strange mantras, but he doubted that was Cassandra’s style.

“That can’t be a comfortable position. You know I remember that the only position Rapunzel felt comfortable in right about now was on all fours with me rubbing her back. Would you like me to rub your back?”  
  


Cassandra shook her head, and for the first time Eugene realized she was crying.

“Hey, hey now, come on.” He said reaching round to wipe the tears from her cheeks. “This isn’t just because of Varian, is it?”

“I’m scared Eugene. I don’t think I’m going to be good at this.” She said, her voice muffled be the pillows.

  
“Labour? I don’t think anybody is actually good at labour.”  
  


“No, everything that comes after, the rest of this kid’s life.”  
  


“Hey, hey, no, stop thinking that. “Eugene reached down and pulled her over to face him. “You and Varian are going to be great parents; this kid is going to be so lucky.”

“You don’t really believe that.”

“Yes I do, I totally do. Jeez, I wished I’d had a mum like you, somebody who would protect me, somebody who would fight for me, and teach me loads of cool stuff like how to train an owl, and how to shot an arrow.”  
  


“Really?”  
  


“Yes. You can do this, you’re one of the strongest women I’ve ever met.”  
  


“Varian and Rapunzel kept saying that, but they’re always nice to me, so I didn’t think they really meant it, but you’re never just nice to me for no reason.”  
  


“Well, I’m glad the man you’re having a child with is nice to you.” Eugene said sarcastically. “And yes I mean it, as for the not nice thing, you started it, at least I think you did, I don’t remember.”

“It was probably me. Ahh, Eugene, it’s coming again.” She huffed.

Eugene reached for her hand and squeezed it as he watched the wave of pain start to reach it’s crescendo.

“It’s Okay, you’ve got this. You can deal with it, it’s only a bit of pain.”  
  


She gritted her teeth and groaned, then after a few seconds she released her grasp on his hand.

“Only a bit of pain. “She muttered. “I’m going to make sure that when all this is over I kick you in the gonads, and tell you that’s only a bit of pain.”  
  


“You know what I meant. I wasn’t belittling your pain; I was just saying that you’re a big enough bad ass to deal with it.”  
  


She smiled for the first time in hours.

“Now, come on Cass. You need to stop fighting this, the midwife said that it might do you harm, and I care about you far too much to see any harm come to you, or to this child. I’m really excited I’m going to get o met him soon, I think that with your tenacity and Varian’s brains he’s going to change the world. Or blow it up, odds are kind of even on that one I think.”  
  


“They're meant to be here.” Cassandra said sadly.

“Well, they're not but I am.”

He climbed behind her, pulling her up into a sitting position. Letting her back rest against his chest with his legs on either side of hers. He was determined to be there for her to lean on, literally. This was his wife’s best friend, and damnit he could admit to himself that he loved her too.

" I’m here, so you lean against me, and you squeeze my hands, and when your body tells you to push, you push, because I am not leaving you."

Before Cassandra could answer the door opened and the midwife came in, taking one look at them she smiled.

“Now, that’s more like it.” She said. She approached the bed, rolling up her sleeves, picking up a throw as she went and draping it over Cassandra’s legs. Eugene could feel Cassandra body tensing like a coiled spring against him. Her legs spread out wide pushing against his on either side of her. He held both his hands out and she grabbed them.

“Feeling the urge to push yet?” The midwife asked.

“Yeeess.” Cassandra said.

“Well then, let’s get this baby out. Deep breath Cassandra.”

“Arghhhh!”

“That’s right Cass, push.” Eugene said as her body heaved against him.

“You shut up and try pushing a fucking lemon out you dick.”

“That’s my girl, come on we got this.”

“You’d better not be looking down there!” Cassandra snapped at him.  
  


“Why would I want to?”

“CASSIE!” The door burst open, and a frazzled wide-eyed Varian burst in. Eugene laughed in relief. Varian ran to them, his hands running over Cassandra’s red and sweaty face.

“Cassie, oh Cassie, I'm so sorry.”

“You’re here now.” She answered with a relived smile, clutching at him.

Eugene turned his head away as they kissed, trying to give him as much privacy as possible when they were literally less than a foot from him, not that they even realized he was there anymore, they always only had eyes for each other. As he looked towards the doorway he smiled to see his wife come in, with a calm demeanour she took in the room around her, and pulled her short brown hair up into a knot.

“Hey Sunshine, just in the nick of time.”  
  


“Thanks for holding down the fort Eugene.”

Eugene smiled in response, he reached over and tapped Varian on the shoulder.

“I think I'm in your spot.”

Varian nodded and with some awkward climbing over the beds they swapped places. Eugene gracefully bowed out of the room and closed the door just as another gasping scream started.

He sat down in the cold corridor taking the time to breath and collect himself. The day had not gone as he had planned, he really hated snow days. The clock down the hall chimed midnight, and he thought about how his own children must be tucked up warm in bed, he had a sudden desire to sneak in and watch them sleeping, as he sometimes did. He felt a moment of guilt for not being there to read them a tale of Flynn Rider before bed, but he knew that Fredrick and Arianna would have taken good care of them ,and that they’d be excited in the morning to visit the new baby, and with that thought he heard a new cry, the breathy first noise of an infant just having entered the world.

He felt a well of tears enter his eyes and he let them fall, remembering that first moment when he had seen and held his own children, remembering standing beside Varian as he said ‘I do’, and hugging Cass the day she came back from her adventure and ready to move back to Corona permanently.

After an indefinite amount of time the door creaked open and Rapunzel peered out. She met his eyes and smiled.

“I knew you’d still be here.”  
  


“Are they all okay?”  
  


“Completely fine, a healthy boy.”

Eugene smiled back at her, they didn’t need to speak, they both knew how happy and relieved they were.

“They’re all ready for their first visitor.”  
  


“Oh, shall I track down Cass’s dad?”

“No, silly, you.” She held her hand out to him and getting to his feet he took it.

Cassandra was on the bed, her black hair falling down to cover her face as she bent over the bundle in her arms. Varian was sat beside her, an arm wrapped around her, and the other hand resting protectively on his son. A man trying to wrap his whole world within his arms. There was no trace of Cassandra’s fear on her face, no trace of any doubts or burdens on either of them. Their eyes were staring besotted at their child, their mouths wide in joyful open smiles. They didn’t notice Eugene until he was within feet of them. Varian looked up, tears in his eyes mixed with his usual childlike enthusiasm.

“I have a son.”  
  


“I see that. Congratulations, he’s beautiful.” Eugene said honestly, looking at the thick head of black hair and the clear blue staring eyes. “What’s his name?”  
  


Varian shot a confused look at Cassandra who met it with a raised eyebrow.

“We didn’t agree on one.” Varian admitted. “Cass wanted to call him Troy, and I wanted to call him Flynn but... Troy works.” He finished lamely looking at his wife.

Eugene hid a smirk, he knew exactly what was going on, for weeks after his twins’ birth he had happily given into anything Rapunzel had wanted, just in awe that she had made these little human beings.

“Flynn might not be so bad a name after all. “Cassandra said laying a hand on Varian’s arm. She looked up and met Eugene’s eyes, and he knew something had changed between them forever, there was a new intimacy between them that would always be there.

"I think it's perfect.” He answered her, returning her soft smile.

“Thank you.” She said. “For everything.”

“Hey, it was all you. Well, mostly you, twenty seconds Varian.”

“HEY!”  
  


“Way to ruin a nice moment Eugene.” Cassandra said rolling her eyes.

“Couldn’t let you get all soft on me now could I Cass? It’s not our style.”

“No, it’s not, but occasionally, it could be.”

“I’d like that.”

“So,” said Varian “do you want to hold the newest member of team awesome?”

“No, I’ll hold him tomorrow. He’s all yours tonight. I think I’ll leave you guys to rest. I think it’s team Cassynnian from here on out.”

“Thanks Eugene.” Cassandra said again, and their attention turned back to their new baby. Eugene smiled fondly at them, taking in the picture of the little family, before he turned to look at Rapunzel. She nodded at him, and they walked out of the room together. Smiling at the midwife as they went.

They walked down the hallway hand in hand, both feeling the exhaustion of the day.

“I want to go check on the kids.” Eugene said.

“Me too.” Rapunzel answered. “So, Flynn is absolutely adorable.”  
  


“Well, he was going to be with a name like that.”  
  


“Makes you think, dousn’t it?”

“What does it make you think?”  
  


“That its about time for another one.”  
  


“Oh.” Eugene laughed. “I am way too tired for that tonight, tempting, always tempting, but no.”  
  


“That’s okay, that parts already done.”  
  


“Wait… what?” Eugene turned to her confused. There was a sparkle in her eyes, a sly little smile, one that he hadn’t seen in a long time, and something in his brain flickered into understanding.

“Oh, are you?”  
  


“Yes, Eugene. I’m pregnant.”  
  


“Oh Sunshine.” He wrapped her in his arms, feeling the second lot of tears of the night start down his face again. He was going to be a father again; he was going to get to hold a new born child of his own. He could already feel his heart expanding with all the new love he was going to have for the child.

“Maybe I do like snowy days after all.” He mumbled into her hair.


End file.
